


12 Days of Tarlos

by SneetchesToo



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:16:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28089885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SneetchesToo/pseuds/SneetchesToo
Summary: Just some sweet holiday fics about TK and Carlos during the holiday season.Chapter 1: Happy HanukkahChapter 2: Ugly SweaterChapter 3: Impromptu VacationChapter 4: PinterestChapter 5: CookiesChapter 6: Christmas MoviesChapter 7: First Christmas
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 20
Kudos: 86





	1. Happy Hanukkah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **December 15th: Happy Hanukkah**
> 
> _Carlos still has a few things to learn about TK._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Alright so I was a religious studies minor in college (almost a major actually) and yet, when I went to write this, my mind went completely blank and I had to look everything up. I feel very ashamed, but I am happy with how the story turned out so I hope it’s okay.  
> **Happy Hanukkah everyone!

Carlos was used to coming home and finding TK doing things that didn’t quite make sense.

Sometimes it was attempting to make dinner, which always ended in everything being burnt and Carlos ordering takeout after treating TK’s minor wounds.

Sometimes it was yoga, which normally ended with the other man pulling a muscle he never should have been stretching in the first place, which resulted in Carlos having to massage said muscle until TK deemed himself ‘better’.

Sometimes it was video games, that silly one with the fast cars and the guns and all the things Carlos didn’t want to see after he got home from a day of fast cars and, well, sometimes even guns.

And sometimes it was TK sleeping on the couch that he was much to tall for, so his long legs would hang over the edge and his head would be shoved against the pillows and Carlos knew he was downright uncomfortable.

But today, well today he came home to TK standing in the middle of the kitchen with one lone candle in his hands, a flame burning at the end of it.

Carlos knew TK was a firefighter and all, but he didn’t trust him with that candle anymore than he trusted a five year old with it.

“What are you doing with that?” TK snapped his head from where he was staring at the flame, his legs stopping their movement halfway through the small house.

“Doing with what?” He didn’t seem phased by Carlos’ question though, and judging by the raised eyebrow, he was more curious as to why the other man was inquiring about something that seemed normal to him.

“That candle.” A candle that Carlos had no idea how he had acquired.

Carlos didn’t own any candles.

Save for one that smelled like sugar cookies that Michelle had bought him as a joke last Christmas.

He only burned it when the woman came over though.

He would never tell her, but he wasn’t exactly a huge fan of it.

“The Shamash?” TK said the word like it was an everyday part of his vocabulary.

“The what?” But Carlos was confused, he had never heard that word before.

And he considered himself a rather worldly man.

“That’s the name of the candle. It’s called the Shamash.” The other man returned to his movements, moving toward the window on the other side of the kitchen, the one that looked out onto Mrs. Tanner’s side yard. “You use it to light the other candles.”

“What other candles?” There were more candles?

“Those candles...” He pointed to the object in the window, something that Carlos had never noticed before, and he sighed. “On the…”

“Wait, isn’t that a Menorah?” Carlos didn’t let him finish his sentence because he suddenly felt very stupid.

“Yes, Carlos, it is.” Apparently TK thought similar things about him.

“But… wait a minute…” He couldn’t help by shake his head as the question left his mouth, “You celebrate Hanukkah?”

He felt really, really silly right now.

“It’s the sixth night Carlos!” Really, the sixth night, already. “How have you not noticed the Menorah by now?”

He really didn’t know how he hadn’t noticed the object sitting there.

It’s not like it was exactly subtle.

“I guess I’ve just always assumed it was there.” He shrugged his shoulders and TK just shook his head with a chuckle.

And then he went about lighting the candles before saying what Carlos could only assume was a prayer.

When he was done he turned back toward his boyfriend, his arms crossing over his chest as he stared him down.

“You’re a cop. Aren’t you supposed to be observant?” He really was supposed to notice things like that.

“Yes… yes I am.” But things had been so crazy the past week and honestly Carlos had just come home and gone straight to bed everyday after work.

He guessed it was easy to miss TK lighting a candle every night when he was too busy being passed out in the other room.

“And…?” But TK wasn’t buying his crap.

Carlos didn’t blame him one bit.

“And I guess I haven’t been doing a very good job.” He wasn’t too proud to admit it, especially not after being caught in the act of failing at something that was actually very important to his daily life.

“No, you have not.” His boyfriend huffed before turning back toward the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

“I’m sorry TK, really.” It certainly wasn’t personal, he hoped the other man knew that.

“It’s fine.” And just like that, it was forgotten.

Sometimes TK was too forgiving for his own good.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were Jewish?” But that led Carlos to the all important question of why he didn’t know that a Menorah would be appearing in his house in the first place.

“I’m only half Jewish.” Well, okay then.

“Well you’re lighting a Menorah so I’m pretty sure that still counts.” He really wasn’t up to date on his religions, but he figured that lighting the candles and saying the prayer was enough to qualify as TK identifying with the religion.

“My mom is Jewish. Dad’s not.” Carlos kind of figured, nothing about Owen Strand screamed religious. “We always celebrated both. And then when I lived with mom we just did Hanukkah at her house and Christmas at dad’s.”

“I had no idea your mom was Jewish.” In fact, Carlos knew nothing about TK’s mother other than her name and what she looked like and that she enjoyed lemon pound cake and the sound of waterfalls. “You never said anything.”

“Well it’s not like we’ve ever really talked about it.” TK shrugged like it was nothing and Carlos sighed.

“Well maybe we should…” He wanted him to feel comfortable talking to him, comfortable telling him these personal things.

It was important to him and he hoped it was important to TK too.

“Yes, maybe we should.” The smile on TK’s face said it all.

It was definitely important to him too.


	2. Ugly Sweater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **December 16th: Ugly Sweater**
> 
> _TK finds out that Carlos has a little secret._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I could totally see Carlos with a secret stash of ugly sweaters that Michelle has bought him over the years.  
> **Also, this is probably one of my favorite pieces I’ve written for these two so far.

TK snapped his head up when he heard the front door open, expecting to see his dad returning from his morning at chemo.

But instead, it was Michelle, and she was wearing what had to be the world’s tackiest Christmas sweater.

“Where did you get that?” Not that he wanted to know, but good Lord did he need to know.

“Where did I get what?” She looked around the foyer as she raised an eyebrow.

“That ridiculously ugly sweater!” It wasn’t like she was holding or wearing anything else that he would call her out on.

“Oh, I borrowed it.” She shrugged her shoulders like it was the most normal thing in the world to be wearing such a monstrosity of evil.

“From who?!” He didn’t know anyone in their network of friends who would own such an ugly thing.

And from what he had seen, Michelle didn’t stray outside of the network of friends.

So someone within their group was hiding a secret.

“Carlos.” But it couldn’t possibly be his boyfriend?!

“Carlos!” Not his sweet, loving, adorable, and always stylish boyfriend. “Why in the world would he have such an ugly sweater?”

“Because your boyfriend is quite well known around these parts for his festive holiday sweaters.” Oh no, take those words back Michelle, please.

He couldn’t possibly be dating the king of the Tacky Christmas Sweater collection.

“You’re kidding?” He really hoped she would say she was just messing with him.

“Not at all.” But she was serious.

Dead. Ass. Serious.

“Where does he keep these sweaters?” Now he needed to know where to go looking the next time he went over. “I’ve been to his house a thousand times and I’ve never seen them.”

“Oh he hides them.” Of course he did, God forbid anyone know about his habit. “They’re in the guest room closet behind his tuxedo.”

“Carlos has a tuxedo?!” TK was now more offended that he had never seen Carlos in a tux than he was about his secret stash of Christmas sweaters.

“Of course he does.” She said it like it was the most normal thing in the world and he sighed. “But don’t tell him that you know! He likes to think he’s so mysterious.”

TK huffed, he was going to get to the bottom of this if it was the last thing he did.

—

Which is why when he got to Carlos’ house that night he marched himself straight to the guest room and yanked the closet wide open, his eyes searching frantically for the items.

“Where are they?” He yelled out his question only to realize that Carlos was standing just a few feet away from him in the doorway. “Sorry. Where are they?”

He hoped that maybe the apology and the softer question would lead the other man to just give in and tell him where they were hidden.

“Where are what?” But he still looked confused and TK sighed.

“I saw Michelle today…” He hoped he wouldn’t have to come out and say it.

“Don’t you see her every day?” Yes, yes he did, but that was beside the point.

“Yes. But today she was wearing the world’s ugliest ugly sweater.” He knew Michelle had an, eclectic wardrobe, but that sweater was just too much for him.

And in hindsight, he really should have stuck around to see how his father responded to seeing her in such a tacky item.

“Oh really now?” Carlos just raised an eyebrow and TK wanted to wipe the small smirk forming on his lips away.

“Yes really.” He rolled his eyes as he turned his attention back to the closest in front of him. “And guess where she told me she got it from?”

“Do tell.” He wasn’t phased by TK’s line of questioning and it was slightly irritating.

The man really shouldn’t be able to maintain his cool under such pressure like this.

“Your closet!” He knew he was being ridiculous, but wasn’t this something you shared with your significant other of almost a year.

“Well she wouldn’t be wrong.” And yet, apparently it was something Carlos wasn’t planning to just divulge.

“She also told me that you have a very large selection of them…” TK wanted to see them and he wanted to see them now.

“I do.” But Carlos was stringing him along and he didn’t like it.

“Why?” So he gave up his search and turned toward his boyfriend instead.

“Because I’ve collected them over the years and now I just have an assortment.” The other man shrugged with his words, a small smile forming on his lips as he stared him down.

“Collected them?” Who the hell collected ugly Christmas sweaters?

“It started out as a joke between me and Michelle and Iris a few years ago. Michelle bought Iris a tacky sweater and I commented that I loved it, which I didn’t, but then Iris went out and bought me the same one.” So it started as an inside joke, well now TK felt like an asshole. “Then every year after that we just continued to buy each other the ugliest sweaters we could find. I probably have at least 30 of them thanks to them.”

He understood the sentiment, but it still seemed a little, much.

“And you wear them all?” He had never seen Carlos wear anything of the sort and he wondered why.

Maybe he really was trying to hide them from him.

“Heck no. But I do wear them leading up to Christmas.” So he would be wearing them soon then? “And people are always borrowing them. Last year we had an ugly sweater party at Judd’s and just about everyone there was wearing one of my borrowed sweaters.”

Cowboy Judd in an ugly Christmas sweater, now that was an image he would love to see.

“I wanna see this collection.” He gave Carlos his best puppy dog eyes and the man simply chuckled before stepping to stand beside him.

He pushed some items aside, including a black bag that TK assumed held his secret tuxedo, and revealed a rather large assortment of tacky sweaters.

“Happy now?” He nodded his head before turning toward the other man with a giant smile on his face.

“You are the strangest, most adorable man I have ever met.” And he wouldn’t trade him, or his tacky sweaters, for anyone else in the world.

“Thank you.” Carlos seemed pleased with himself and TK couldn’t help but chuckle as he turned back toward the variety of items.

“I hope this means we get to have an ugly sweater party this year?” Not that he would ever participate in such a thing.

But he needed to see Judd in one ASAP.

And his dad, well, that was something he was going to capture on film and then mail to everyone they knew back him, including Owen’s ex-wives.

“Grace is already planning it.” Of course she was, because that woman was a saint.

“Thank God.” He reached out and pulled Carlos toward him, crashing his lips against the other man’s as he relished in the feeling of finally knowing a little secret about him.

Maybe now he should reveal his large selection of band t-shirts to the man.

Maybe.


	3. Impromptu Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **December 17th: Impromptu Vacation**  
>    
> _TK can’t believe Carlos has never seen snow, but he has a way to fix that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet.

TK was startled out of his much needed nap by his boyfriend’s words.

“Come again?” He thought he had heard him right, but he wasn’t so sure.

“God I wish I could see snow for once in my life.” He heard him repeat himself and TK felt his eyes go wide at the statement.

“You’ve never seen snow?!” How in the world had he never seen snow?

“I’ve never even been out of Texas TK, unless you count when I went to Brazil when I was like four. Which I don’t by the way.” TK thought that was just cruel.

“That just seems, cruel.” There was so much out there to see, snow included.

“Yeah well…” Carlos shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal and TK sighed before sitting up.

“That settles it then.” He turned to stare the other man down, Carlos’ brows raising at TK’s excited statement.

“Settles what?” He had to know what TK was going to ask him to do.

“You’re coming to New York with me next week.” It may have been short notice, but TK knew they could make it work.

“Wait what?” Apparently Carlos wasn’t so sure.

“I wanted to ask but I figured it would be too soon, but now… now you don’t have a choice.” He had to take him to see snow and to see his old stomping grounds. “They’re calling for snow and you’re going and you’re going to love it.”

“Um… TK…” And he knew that his grandmother would be over the moon to finally meet the man, something she kept pestering TK about.

“Don’t. I know you have a ton of unused vacation that your boss has been begging you to use.” He wasn’t stupid, he had heard Carlos’ captain say it multiple times and now he was finally going to put those words to use. “So now you’re going to use it.”

“But… snow is cold…” Well, yeah, that was kind of the point.

“Exactly! And you’re gonna love it!” And he knew that watching Carlos in the snow would just make his entire year. “It’s settled and you’re not getting out of it.”

“Fine.” Carlos sulked back against the couch but TK didn’t miss the way his eyes twinkled and his lips curled upward.

This was going to be best trip ever.


	4. Pinterest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **December 19: Free Choice**
> 
> _TK needs help finding the perfect gift for Carlos for Christmas and Marjan knows just where to go to find it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I am not sorry for anything.   
> **Also, Marjan to the rescue, again.  
> ***Mentions to Owen/Michelle and Judd/Grace.

TK let out a huff as he threw open Michelle’s office door, stopping just inside the threshold as he stared the woman down.

“How is Carlos seriously the hardest person to shop for?” She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest and for a second TK thought she was going to fuss at him for interrupting her.

“He really is isn’t he?” But instead, she seemed to agree with his sentiment and he silently jumped for joy.

“You’re kidding right?” He wasn’t sure though, was she being serious, or was she just playing him?

“No… he’s the worst.” She shook her head as she let her arms fall to rest on her desk. “I always wind up waiting until the last minute because I never have any idea what to get him.”

“Oh come on Michelle!” This wasn’t helping his case though.

On one hand, having Michelle acknowledge that her best-friend was quite possibly the hardest person to shop for was nice, but on the other hand, he really needed her help.

“What? It’s true.” And it really, really was.

“I was coming to you for advice.” Which he found himself doing a lot more these days, especially when it came to Carlos.

“Well look somewhere else because I don’t have it.” She shook her head again with a sigh of her own.

“But you’re his best-friend?!” Which normally meant she was helpful when it came to him.

“Yeah, and I’ve been buying him gifts for every birthday and Christmas for what, like 15 years now, and I’ve run out of ideas.” He couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to buy gifts for Carlos in 15 years.

“But…” She had to have some ideas thought, right?

“Trust me TK, you’re barking up the wrong tree.” He couldn’t believe she would let him down like this. “If I think of something, I’m not sharing.”

“Hey now!” That wasn’t very nice, and it was very, un-Michelle of her too.

“Oh come on! I need something to give him myself.” That wasn’t fair.

“You’re no fun.” He kicked his foot against the ground like a frustrated toddler and she chuckled.

“I’m… not the least bit sorry.” That didn’t surprise him though.

“Fine. I’ll remember this then.” And he would, if she was going to hold out from him, than he’d do the same to her.

“Remember this for what?” But she didn’t seem to get it.

“When you need help picking out a gift for my dad.” His dad wasn’t easy to shop for either, but as his son, he always had a few tricks up his sleeve.

“Oh please TK, I’ve had your dad’s shopping done for weeks now.” But he guessed that as his father’s fiancé, Michelle probably had a few more tricks up her sleeve now than he did.

“What? How?” But the man hadn’t asked for anything yet, had he?

“Because he’s not hard to shop for.” That was a lie and she knew it.

“But…” His dad always wanted weird stuff, stuff that required you to actually go on a hunt for, how could she already have something for him.

“I mean, the lingerie wasn’t cheap but…” Oh God, of course she would go there.

“Oh Jesus Christ.” He knew enough about their sex life and he didn’t need to know more. “Bye!”

And with that he pushed his way out of her office and into the hallway, shaking his head as his father just laughed at him from across the hallway.

He guessed maybe the man wasn’t going to be much help either.  
—-

So instead he marched himself into the common room and dropped down to sit beside Judd on the couch.

“Judd, I need your help.” He didn’t know why he was whispering, but he really didn’t want to draw too much attention to himself right now.

“You wanna say that again and a little louder so that everyone can hear you?” But Judd, well Judd had no problem calling all the attention in the world to the two of them.

“Not particularly.” TK sighed as Paul simply raised an eyebrow in their direction before turning back to his book, a small smile on his face as he undoubtedly listened to their conversation anyway.

“Fine. What’s up?” He guessed he had gotten Judd’s attention though because he set his phone down and turned toward him.

“I don’t know what to get Carlos for Christmas.” He had to be the worst fiancé ever.

“Well why the hell you asking me?” He really didn’t know actually.

“I don’t know. I mean, you guys are friends right?” Judd had known Carlos just as long as Michelle had, so he had to have some kind of clue what to get the man.

“Yeah. But that don’t mean I know what to get him for Christmas.” Which made TK wonder how the two of them were even still friends.

“Don’t you guys exchange gifts?” He knew they did, because every year since they had arrived in Austin, TK had watched as Grace had handed Carlos a present with a smile and a kiss and Judd had always shook his hand and that had been that.

“Listen here city boy.” Oh Lord, even after four years Judd couldn’t stop calling him that. “When you marry a good ole’ southern woman like Grace, you never have to buy gifts for anyone else ever again.”

“And why is that Judd?” And there was Paul, always the silent observer.

“Because she does all the shopping for ya.” That didn’t sound like fun at all.

“Really now?” But apparently Paul wasn’t buying Judd’s crap either.

“So wait, you don’t even buy gifts for her?” Mateo’s question caught TK off guard because he hadn’t realized the Probie was listening in too.

This was going to get real good if Marjan heard Judd’s words of wisdom.

“Oh no, I buy gifts for her.” He better, they’d been married for 15 years. “But she tells me what she wants and I just go and buy it and there ya have it.”

“You are the least romantic man in the world.” Paul had better game than Judd and they all knew it, but calling him out like that, well that was dangerous.

“Never claimed not to be.” But Judd just shrugged.

“You know, that’s not cool.” Mateo was right, it really wasn’t cool.  
TK wanted to at least put some thought into Carlos’ gift.

“What do you know about cool Probie?” Judd shot the question in the younger man’s direction but Mateo simply shrugged before returning to his puzzle.

“He has a point Judd…” TK wanted it known though, it wasn’t cool to not put any effort into gift buying, no matter how difficult the person was to shop for.

“Oh hush.” Judd knew they were all kidding though so he clearly didn’t take any offense. “Listen, all I’m saying is that I ain’t ever picked out a gift for Carlos and I ain’t gonna start now.”

“Y’all suck.” But none of that helped TK with his current problem.

So he pushed himself up to stand and sulked out of the room.

There was one more stop he had to make and he prayed that the woman who was always the voice of reason within their group, would have some idea of how to help him.

—

He found just the person he was looking for sitting at the table in the kitchen flipping through a magazine and he let out a breath of relief.

“Oh thank God Marjan!” She turned to face him with a questioning look but that didn’t stop him. “I need your help.”

“What’s up?” TK didn’t miss the knowing smile on the woman’s face.

She knew she was always their go-to when their problems got, well, to dangerous for their own good.

“I need to get Carlos a Christmas gift and I have no idea what to give him.” He stumbled over the words and he was certain that she thought he was crazy.

“Well did you ask Michelle, she is his best-friend.” Especially when she muttered those words.

Of course he had asked Michelle, but she had failed him.

“Yeah and she couldn’t come up with anything.” And she had sworn that even if she did, she wasn’t sharing her ideas. “And then I asked Judd but…”

“Woah woah woah… never ask Cowboy Judd for advice on such things.” He wish he had known that before he wasted fifteen minutes of his life on trying to get the man to help him.

“Yeah, I know that now. Look, I just… I need something special for him okay.” And it had to be really special, their first Christmas together as an engaged couple should be wonderful. “And I don’t wanna be cheesy but I don’t wanna be over the top and…”

“And you don’t want something generic and boring. I got you.” She clapped her hands together and nodded. “Have you checked the World Wide Web?”

“For what?” The internet wasn’t going to know what to buy Carlos for Christmas.

Just like it hadn’t been able to help win at trivia night two weeks ago when he tried to cheat during a bathroom break.

“For ideas.” She seemed confused by his lack of trust in the web and he sighed.

“Ideas?” But what could it possibly show him.

“For a gift for Carlos.” They were going around in circles here weren’t they?

“Why would I go to the internet for that?” He really didn’t know how that would help though.

Sure, Amazon was great and all, but you kind of had to know what you were buying before you even started.

“Oh my have I got something to show you.” She pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and swiped it open, clicking on an icon and holding the device up for him to see. “Welcome… to Pinterest.”

“Pin what?” He had never heard of Pinterest before and maybe that was a bad thing, but he really wasn’t glued to his phone like most people their age, unless of course, he was talking to Carlos.

“Pinterest.” He guessed that she must have used the website regularly and he let his eyes skim over the first few items on the screen. “Your gift giving dream come true.”

“How is this gonna help Marjan? Really?” But he didn’t know how a recipe for vegan cookies or a DIY winter wreath were going to help him.

Carlos liked his cookies to have milk in them.

And he wasn’t really a wreath guy.

“Look, just humor me, okay?” She moved the phone back down to eye level and started scrolling through a few things, pausing and humming every few seconds or so.

“Okay.” He didn’t understand what they were doing, but he sat down beside her anyway and waited.

“You want something personal and sentimental but not cheesy and over the top right?” Yeah, that was pretty much what he was aiming for.

“Right.” Which she should know by now.

Neither he or Carlos were over the top kind of people.

“You have pictures of yourselves together?” That seemed like a silly question because she was his friend on Facebook and she followed him on Instagram.

She had to know that they took a million pictures together every week.

“A ton. I’m kinda a selfie snob.” She huffed and rolled her eyes at his words and he just shrugged. “Carlos acts like he hates it but…”

“Trust me, he doesn’t.” It was good to get confirmation of that. “And right now, all those precious selfies of you two, are going to save your butt at Christmas.”

She held her phone for him to see, images of homemade photo collages appearing in front of him like some kind of magic.

“Tell me more…” Marjan may have just saved the day, and he would be certain that she never forgot about it.


	5. Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **December 22: Stress Baking**
> 
> _TK catches Carlos stress baking at an un-Godly hour._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I love the idea of Carlos being a stress baker (I mean, I can totally relate).  
> **Mentions to Owen/Michelle.

TK was used to waking up to all kinds of strange noises at all hours of the night.

Not only had his mom been a night owl who was always up watching late night television long after she’d tucked him into bed.

But his dad always worked funky shifts growing up and he’d stumble in and eat dinner or breakfast or whatever meal of the day it might have been before falling face first into the couch cushions and entering dreamland.

And then there had been his roommate, Hannah, a girl he had met at a club and they had become instant friends, which resulted in them moving in together two months later.

He didn’t think Hannah ever slept, and judging by the types of men, and women, she had brought home with her over the two years they lived together, he guessed that maybe she didn’t have time.

But now, well now he was kind of getting used to relaxing and sleeping through the night.

No more strange noises or weird meals.

No more Jay Leno or college basketball.

No, his house was finally quiet at night.

Except for tonight.

Because tonight he woke up to the sound of banging and cursing coming from downstairs and he let out a huff as he turned to look at the clock.

2:13am stared back at him and he sighed before shaking his head.

He wondered what his dad was doing downstairs at that time of night, and why in God’s name was in the kitchen anyway?

And then it hit him.

It could just as easily be Michelle in the kitchen in the middle of the night and suddenly he felt panicked.

The woman couldn’t cook to save her life, in fact, he had watched her burn oatmeal earlier and it had been devastating to them all.

Reaching over to shake Carlos awake he groaned when his hand felt nothing but the silk sheets, his boyfriend’s body long gone judging by the coolness surrounding him.

He must have been who was downstairs making all that racket.

Sighing TK pushed himself to stand, grabbing his sweatpants and pulling them on before exiting the bedroom.

Sure enough, his dad and Michelle were both fast asleep in the master bedroom, neither of them having been roused by the ruckus downstairs, and he was suddenly very jealous of their ability to not be disturbed unless they really wanted too.

He made his way downstairs slowly, shaking his head when he noticed Carlos standing in the middle of the kitchen with an oven mitt on one hand and a spatula in the other.

“What are you doing?” Carlos jumped a good foot in the air and TK couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s two in the morning.”

“I’m making cookies.” Despite having just been scared half to death the man replied with great ease.

“It’s two in the morning!” Did he miss that part of the original question, because that was what was really throwing TK off right now.

“So?” Carlos shrugged his shoulders before returning to the task at hand and TK’s eyes grew wide when he saw him moving cookies from a hot pan to a cooling rack on the counter.

He didn’t even know they owned all this stuff.

Where the hell had it come from?

“So… who the hell makes cookies at two in the morning?” It wasn’t unusual to find Carlos baking randomly throughout the day, sometimes even in this exact kitchen.

But this, well this was definitely the first time that TK had caught him baking in the middle of the night.

“Look, you’re meeting my family tomorrow and I’m kinda freaking out here…” He knew Carlos had been lying earlier at dinner when he said everything was fine.

Michelle had called him out on it too but he had assured them that everything was okay and that he wasn’t nervous at all.

“So you decided to make enough cookies to feed a small army?” Sure the house smelled great, but who in the hell was going to eat all of these?

“I couldn’t decide on what kind I wanted so…” The other man finally turned to look at him and TK could see the worry and nervousness etched into his brow.

“How many kinds did you make?” He understood the man was nervous, but it was about damn time that they did this.

They couldn’t put it off much longer, not if they didn’t want Rosa to just show up at the apartment one day and surprise them.

And normally those surprises, well, they tended to happen while they were in varying states of undress.

His mother had found her first time meeting Carlos rather humorous, Carlos however, had not enjoyed being caught by his boyfriend’s mother with his pants down.

“There’s snickerdoodle over there. And chocolate chip in the oven.” The man was waving his hands around like a mad man and TK just shook his head. “And the sugar cookie dough is in the fridge. These are my favorite, cranberry orange.”

“Carlos!” He couldn’t believe this.

“What?” Apparently Carlos couldn’t believe that he thought he was crazy though.

“This is insane.” As much as he liked cookies, and damn did he really love Carlos’ cookies, this was a bit much even for him.

“Yes, maybe,” He let out a sigh as he set down the spatula and stared back at him, “but, it’s helped calm my nerves.”

“Calm your nerves?” TK could practically see the man vibrating with excitement and nervousness and there was no way he was calm. “How many cups of coffee have you had?”

“Four… and then I switched to decaf!” Jesus Christ the man was never going to sleep.

“Have my dad or Michelle come down here at all?” He wouldn’t be surprised if they had slept through it, but then again, banging in the kitchen could occasionally lead to a fire, so his dad tended to notice those sounds.

“Only… um.” Carlos scratched at the back of his head with a sheepish smile. “Only twice.”

“Twice?” And they hadn’t thought to wake him up?

“Your dad stole a cookie and told me to go back to bed the first time.” That didn’t surprise him at all, Carlos’ snickerdoodle cookies were the man’s favorite.

“And the second time?” But even those cookies had their limit.

“He just stared at me and shook his head.” That sounded like such an Owen Strand thing to do and TK wasn’t even mad about it. “And then Michelle came downstairs and tried to get me to talk but I just pouted and then I made her taste test my chocolate chip dough and your father yelled at me for feeding her raw eggs and sugar in the middle of the night.”

“That sounds just like him.” TK couldn’t say he blamed him though, Michelle was like a Gremlin, you didn’t feed her after midnight, especially anything with sugar in it. “But still, babe, this is insane.”

“I know.” Carlos sighed and TK felt bad that he made him regret his little baking spree. “Look, I just, I like to bake when I’m stressed okay?”

“Okay, I get that.” And he respected that, because, lets face it, no one was a better baker than Carlos, not that he would ever say that in front of Grace’s face. “But it’s the middle of the night babe. Come back to bed.”

“But my cookies…” TK shook his head with a sigh as he turned toward the stairs and waited.

“Can wait until tomorrow.” Surely his sugar cookie dough would survive the night.

At least, until Michelle discovered it.

“I have to at least take the chocolate chip ones out of the oven.” He probably should let him do that at least.

The last thing they needed was to have to call the fire department to the fire captain’s house for an oven fire, the week before Christmas.

“Fine…” He’d go back to bed then, but he was going to make it very difficult for Carlos to make the decision to stay downstairs, “but I’ll be waiting in bed… naked!”

He heard Carlos let out a frustrated growl as he dropped something on the floor and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

A little distraction might help take his mind off tomorrow, well, today, anyway.


	6. Christmas Movies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **December 24th: Holiday Films**
> 
> _Carlos thinks TK’s taste in movies is just downright awful._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *As big as a fan of Christmas as I am and I’m still not much into Christmas movies. I imagine these two probably have very different ideas of what counts as ‘traditional’ and what doesn’t.   
> **Also… Owen Strand totally thinks Die Hard is a Christmas movie.

Carlos was thankful to finally have a night off after having worked nine straight days.

And he had told TK in no less words that they weren’t going to leave the couch for the entirety of the night.

No, rather, he had planned a Christmas movie marathon with the other man and he couldn’t wait.

But when he got home he found TK staring intently at the screen.

“Why the hell is _Die Hard_ not available on any of these apps?” Carlos didn’t know why TK was looking for that movie, but it had better not be for the reason he suspected.

“Why are you trying to find it?” He dropped his bag beside the door and toed off his shoes, his head already starting to hurt from what he was sure was going to be an intense discussion.

“Because you said we were having a Christmas movie marathon…” He still didn’t know how that include the Bruce Willis classic though.

“ _Die Hard_ is not a Christmas movie TK!” He couldn’t believe he had to tell the man that though, he really should already know.

“Yes it is!” TK almost looked offended at his statement and when he replied back Carlos put his hands on his hips and stared him down.

“No, it is not.” He would hold his ground on this one, they were not going to spend Christmas Eve watching that wretched movie.

“Well we’re watching it anyway.” The other man shrugged and Carlos scoffed.

“If you add that to the queue I’m leaving you.” He couldn’t believe he was being like this, but TK was being ridiculous.

“You wouldn’t?” His eyes flashed something akin to betrayal and Carlos tried not to laugh.

He was really taking this a little to personally.

“I would.” But he’d be damned if they were watching it and he felt very strongly about this.

“Fine.” The pout on TK’s face was adorable and Carlos couldn’t help but smirk. “How about _the Sound of Music_?”

“No!” Who the hell watched _the Sound of Music_ as a Christmas movie?!

“How do you not like _the Sound of Music_?” TK seemed to think that that was also a crime against humanity and the look on his face made Carlos laugh.

“I never said I didn’t like it,” In fact, he loved the movie, unlike _Die Hard_ , “but it’s not a Christmas movie.”

“ _Gremlins_?” What in the hell?

“No.” He was starting to think the man was just messing with him.

“ _Just Friends_?” Just what?

“No!” But he most certainly knew it wasn’t a Christmas movie if he had never heard of it.

“ _Mean Girls_?” There was no way he was going to waste two hours of his life again on that horrible film.

He had given in when his niece wanted to watch it once, and he regretted it instantly.

And then for several weeks afterward.

“Hell no.” So he most certainly wasn’t going to submit himself to it now.

“ _Lethal Weapon_?” Okay, a movie he actually liked, but still, not a Christmas movie.

“Who the hell taught you that these were Christmas movies?!” He had a feeling that he already knew the answer to that question but he just wanted to make sure.

“Who do you think?” TK crossed his arms over his chest and gave Carlos a look that said ‘good luck’.

“Your father and I are going to have a serious talk tomorrow.” He was going to set Owen straight on this whole movie debate if it was the last thing he did.

“Good luck with that.” But his boyfriend seemed to think it wasn’t a wise idea to waste his time. “You will never, under any circumstances, convince Owen Strand that _Die Hard_ isn’t a Christmas movie.”

“Well we’re not watching it.” He didn’t care what Owen thought, or hell, what TK thought, they weren’t spending the night with that on.

“Fine.” TK kicked his foot against the floor like a child and Carlos chuckled. “Then what exactly is a Christmas movie Carlos?”

“I’m glad you asked.” He would be happy to educate the man on what was actually appropriate to watch at this time of year. “ _A Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Home Alone, the Santa Claus_ … any of these ringing a bell Tyler?”

“Ugh. Boring.” He never would have thought he’d hear TK say _Home Alone_ was boring.

“You’re ridiculous.” Carlos was ready to just give up and go to bed if this was the case. “We’re never going to agree on a movie then.”

“Fine.” So TK dropped to the couch with a sigh.

“Fine.” Carlos let his arms fall to his sides as they stared each other down.

“ _A Christmas Story_ is on.” Wow he really didn’t want them to enjoy the night did he?

“No!” That may have qualified as a Christmas movie, but it was not one of Carlos’ favorites.

Although, he was rather surprised to find that TK liked it.

“So what now?” He sounded almost disappointed and Carlos sighed.

“ _The Muppet Christmas Carol_?” He figured it was worth a shot to throw one more idea out there and see if it stuck.

“That’s my favorite one!” TK was almost bouncing with excitement and Carlos felt his heart tighten in his chest at the smile on his boyfriend’s face.

“Well why didn’t you just say that to begin with?” It really could have saved them time and a very disturbing conversation.

“I thought you didn’t like the Muppets.” He thought what?

“Who the hell doesn’t like the Muppets?” Because it most certainly wasn’t him. “It’s settled, that’s what we’re watching.”

The other man just beamed back at him from the couch and Carlos shook his head with a chuckle.

“I’m gonna shower first,” Because the day was catching up with him and he was beginning to feel as bad as he probably smelled. “Care to join me?”

He knew it was an offer that TK would refuse.

“Of course!” And then he was jumping up from his spot on the couch and bounding down the hallway.

Hopefully they’d actually stay awake to watch the movie unlike last year.


	7. First Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **December 25th: Merry Christmas**
> 
> _Their first Christmas together should have looked a little merrier than this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TK is totally an annoying patient, and Carlos totally doesn’t have the patience for him.

**This follows up my fic[Grazed](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28317585). You don’t have to read it first, but it just tells you how Carlos got hurt.**

Carlos couldn’t believe the predicament he and TK had wound up in.

And on Christmas Eve of all the days.

This certainly wasn’t shaping up to be their best first Christmas together.

“I can’t believe you got shot on Christmas.” Yeah, well, Carlos couldn’t believe it either.

“I can’t believe you fell out of a second story window on Christmas.” It’s not like TK had any better luck though.

“You know, I had a whole fun, exciting weekend off planned for us?” He was shocked to hear that though, normally he was the one planning the exciting weekends and TK was the one who just wanted to relax.

“Really?” But he would have appreciated the change in pace.

“Really.” Except now they were both stuck in the hospital so it didn’t matter either way.

Carlos heard TK let out a sigh and he felt his heart twinge.

He knew the man was looking forward to Christmas, in fact, he had divulged that he actually really enjoyed the holiday.

And now, well now they were stuck with crappy hospital food and a TV in their shared room that didn’t work.

“I’m sorry I fell out of a second story window.” TK whispered from his bed, causing Carlos to turn toward him and offer him a sympathetic smile.

“I’m sorry I got shot.” He whispered back, his hand reaching out to take the other man’s across the small space between their beds.

He didn’t know whether it was Michelle or Owen who had scared the nurses into letting them share a room, but whoever it was, Carlos owed them a lot.

“I still got you a present though.” TK’s face lit up with his words but then his smile turned to a pout.

“You did?” Carlos could only imagine what that meant.

“Yeah. Buuuut… it’s at home.” Not that he expected him to have it on him, but still, he had felt a little excitement there for a minute.

“Yeah, yours is still in my locker at work.” But he didn’t want him to think that he had forgotten about him.

TK simply nodded his head in response before laying back against the pillows once more and sighing.

The silence in the room was deafening and Carlos desperately wished someone would at least fix their TV for them, then he could at least have background noise.

“Carlos.” He shifted his head back toward his roommate and raised an eyebrow.

“What?” He had a feeling TK was going to be saying his name a lot tonight, and not in a good way.

“You think they’d let us have Eggnog?” He doubted it though, their nurse seemed rather, unpleasant.

“We’re in the hospital, so probably not.” That and well, they didn’t typically allow alcohol into hospitals.

“Well it’s not like it would contain any alcohol Carlos…” He knew that, but still…

“I still think the answer would probably be ‘no’.” He guessed that maybe he could ask Michelle to sneak some in.

If there was anyone who would humor TK, it would be her.

“Can I ask?” But if TK got them separated by asking crazy questions, it wouldn’t matter.

“Please don’t.” And he really didn’t want to be alone in a room with no TV.

TK let out another huff and Carlos returned to staring at the ceiling above him.

He had counted 129 speckles on the ceiling before TK broke through the silence once more.

“My dad was gonna make his famous cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow.” God that sounded amazing and Carlos hoped that TK couldn’t hear his stomach growling at the simple thought of food.

“I’m sorry.” He knew Owen’s cinnamon rolls were the most amazing things ever and he knew how much TK loved them.

That and he would more than likely have been invited to breakfast too, which meant he would have gotten cinnamon rolls, and if Carlos wasn’t depressed before, well now, now he was really sad.

“And there was gonna be fruit cake.” Carlos snapped his head to look at his boyfriend suspiciously.

“Who the hell eats fruit cake?” No one ate fruit cake, not even Michelle, and Michelle ate everything.

“Me.” Why wasn’t he surprised by that information though.

“Really?” TK would try almost anything once, but Carlos still couldn’t see him eating fruit cake.

“Yes really.” He seemed almost offended by Carlos’ questioning though.

“Why would anyone eat fruit cake?” It was an honest question that he wanted an answer to.

“Because it’s good…” TK simply shrugged with a sigh before sinking even further into the bed.

Carlos knew he was frustrated, hell, so was he, but he didn’t need to be so dramatic about the whole thing did he?

Instead of saying anything back Carlos returned to staring at the ceiling and counting the dots.

He had made it to 190 this time before TK’s voice broke through his rhythm once again.

“Hey Carlos.” This time his voice was soft and when Carlos turned to look over at him TK was staring back with a soft smile on his face.

“Yeah TK?” He hoped that maybe he would tell him ‘goodnight’ and would then turn the lights off.

If they weren’t going to get to watch TV maybe they could at least get some sleep.

“At least we get to spend Christmas together.” He was thankful for that.

“At least.” Not that they wouldn’t have gotten to spend it together outside of the hospital…

But he couldn’t dwell on that anymore.

It was what it was.

He got shot and TK fell out a window and he just had to accept it.

He let out a soft sigh when TK finally turned the light off, leaving them to rest in the soft glow of the monitor’s and nothing more.

Carlos tried to make himself as comfortable as possible and he was almost asleep when he heard TK’s voice calling out to him.

“Hey Carlos.” And he didn’t sound the least bit tired.

“Yes TK?!” He didn’t know what the man wanted, but it had better be good.

“Do you think Santa will still come visit us even though we’re in the hospital?” And that, that wasn’t good.

“I’m not answering that question.” He refused to, in fact, he was going to forget the other man had ever asked it. “Now go to sleep.”

“But I’m not tired.” TK huffed out, shifting around his bed dramatically as if to prove a point.

“You fell out of a house!” In fact, he fell out of the second story window of a house and currently had three broken ribs, a broken humerus and a fractured pelvis, it made Carlos tired just thinking about it. “How can you not be tired?!”

“Because it’s Christmas…” He really was just a child wasn’t he?

And then the room went silent again when Carlos refused to respond.

He heard TK shuffle around a little more, trying to get comfy in his bed Carlos assumed.

And then the room was bathed in darkness and silence and Carlos finally closed his eyes and started to drift off.

Until…

“Hey Carlos…” He was going to wind up strangling the man before the night was over.

“Oh dios mio… what TK?” He really just wanted to sleep and forget this whole day had ever happened.

“I love you.” The whispered words made Carlos’ heart swell and he held his breath for a minute as he let them sink in.

They had never told each other that before, not like this.

Sure they knew it and they texted it, and they showed each other how much they loved the other every single day.

But saying it, out loud like this, this was new for them both.

“I love you too.” He whispered back, reaching back across the space and squeezing the other man’s hand tightly in his.

“Really?” TK shouldn’t have to doubt that but Carlos understood.

After everything he had been through, he sometimes needed a little reassurance.

“Yes really.” And Carlos would reassure him as much as he needed to.

“Merry Christmas Carlos.” He couldn’t help but smile, despite knowing that TK couldn’t see his face.

“Merry Christmas TK.” It may not have been how they wanted to spend their first Christmas together, but it was working out just fine if you asked him.

**Author's Note:**

> **Comments make me happy!**


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